Energy news in brief

** The head of the American Wind Energy Association says a Missouri bill to block the Grain Belt Express transmission project would cost the state jobs and access to cheap clean energy.

** Activists gather outside of DTE Energy’s headquarters in Detroit to protest the utility’s long-term energy plan.

**  The Association of Big Ten Students, which represents more than 500,000 students, passes a resolution calling on their schools to divest from coal, oil and gas companies.

** New research finds that gas flaring in the Permian Basin is worse than previously thought when processing plants burning off excess supply are included.

**  Legislation in Arizona to prevent cities from banning natural gas hookups appears likely to pass.

** Colorado lawmakers advance a bill that would triple fines for air and water quality violations.

** An investigation finds that the energy company behind a proposed liquid natural gas pipeline and export terminal in Oregon was the sole funding source of a unit in the sheriff’s office dedicated to handling the project’s security concerns.